Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
Confocal spectroscopy generally involves using a confocal microscope to selectively direct incident light toward a particular portion of a sample to generate responsive light from the particular portion of the sample. The responsive light may be directed toward a light sensor via filters, diffraction gratings, or other optical elements so that the responsive light may be analysed to determine characteristics of the sample. To this end, intensities and corresponding wavelengths of the responsive light may be determined with respect to location within the sample.
Within the context of confocal Raman spectroscopy, the determined intensities and corresponding wavelengths may be used to identify vibrational or rotational energy levels excited by the incident light at various locations within the sample, thereby allowing materials or material phases present within the particular portion of the sample to be identified. Likewise, within the context of fluorescence or phosphorescence spectroscopy, the determined intensities and corresponding wavelengths may be used to identify electronic energy levels excited by the incident light at various locations within the sample, similarly allowing materials or material phases present within the particular portion of the sample to be identified.